Factors to Consider While Deploying an On-Demand Mobile App in Google and Apple Play Stores

In the last 5 years there is an exponential rise in the on-demand startups around the globe and so does the demand for good quality mobile applications. The app for the on-demand business is the one that connects the service provider with the customer/user and so it should be user-friendly, foolproof, simple to use and work on all smart devices. In simple words, if rightly made the app can be gamechanger for your on-demand business.

These on-demand apps can be made from scratch or prebuilt apps can be used if you are bootstrapping the business. Whatever it may be, before deploying the app you should consider certain factors or more precisely checklists. These factors have a great influence on the quality and usability of the app which in turn influences the startup operation.

All the apps are made in both iOS and Android platforms and let us now see in detail the essential pre-deployment factors for the on-demand apps. This blog is for solution providers who build readymade apps and entrepreneurs who want to build the app from scratch for your business.

Testing on all devices

There can be only two operating platforms – iOS and Android for mobile apps. But there are multiple smart devices and brands which use these platforms. A user may use whatever device to access the service through the app. So, the app should work seamlessly in all kinds of devices. You may have tested the app in two or three mobile phones and also rectified some bugs and issues.

Now, test the app on various devices like mobile phones and tablets of different manufacturers. You should remember that each version of the Android and iOS platforms have changes in APIs and it should be considered seriously. File heavy apps must be tested meticulously on different device manufacturers.

Some device makers may customize the ROM to give unique experience to the users and so consider this while testing because some issues may arise.

If required optimize the images used in the app to fit in different screen sizes.

Get the crash reporting tool before deployment

Some bugs and minor issues are inevitable in an app after deployment and when it happens, the best one can do is to quickly resolve it as soon as possible. For this you should have a tool to identify the issues.

There are crash report tools which can be kept ready before deployment. The crash reporter provides a detailed report on the crash and you as a developer or solution provider can fix it promptly.

Also, be watchful on crashes, in particular, Android and iOS versions.

Analytics tools

There are analytics tools like Google Analytics and Flurry which can be used to gather as much information from the app after deployment. This helps you to get info like no. of downloads, screen time spent, user demographics, and many more.

Use this information to further improve the app and eliminate the pain points for the users. You can also decide to move on with this solution or try any other.

Do a complete security inspection

If your app deals with a lot of user data then, a complete security check is necessary. All the on-demand apps process lots of user data and any compromise in that can be detrimental to the business service. So, it is better to check it before deployment.

Follow the three checklists below during the security audit.

If passwords are used for registration then it should be hashed. Learn the scope of hashing before applying it.

Ensure that the local data are encrypted when stored in the database. Network transfer must be SSL encrypted. Check if any data is stored with plain text and change it quickly.

If your app source code is not open source then hide it with relevant obfuscation tools. Uglify and Webpack obfuscator are free tools to hide the source code.

Release plan

Your developer team and design team would have spent months in creating the app and an improper release will make your money and effort worthless. This can be avoided only with a proper release plan.

First, try to release an alpha version to the client or to limited users probably within your team. If everything is smooth then go for a bigger beta version.

Beta version can be used as a pilot project for the on-demand startup. To make it more easy for Android, Google play has an open beta release system. Be ready to face crashes and bugs during beta release because it will be used by users from different devices.

Sort all these issues and now your solution is ready for the final deployment in the iOS and Android store.

Final say

The entire effort you put into developing the app for the on-demand startup will reach the intended goal only when it is released perfectly without any hindrance. If you are going to start an on-demand startup and looking for a solution provider for a prebuilt app then, ensure that software provider follows the mentioned steps.

SpotnRides is one such software solution dedicated to on-demand businesses. Our successful client base across 15+ countries is a testimony to the quality of our product. SpotnRides solution is a prime example for “one size fits all”, in the sense that it can be easily tweaked to suit any on-demand startup ideas.

For top-notch app solution and problem-free deployment for your startup, do partner with us and please send the doubts and queries to hello@spotnrides.com.